Sheet glass cutting apparatus



April 9, 1935. J. D RAKE SHEET GLASS CUTTING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1927 Qwuenloz LTohn L. Ora/6e A ril 9, 1935. J. DRAKE SHEET GLAS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1927 S'Sheets-Sheet 5 gnwnfoz JED/2n L. Ora/f2 Patented Apr. 9, .1935 e a 7 UNITED TATE s" ,itsvioifl a su G ssoU'rTING APPARATUS.

John Drake, Toledo, Ohio, assignorto Libbey- Owens-Ford Glass Company, 'ljolc'do, Qhio," a

corporation of- Ohio Application ia u r zenszn-sna ire-164,437. f1 r a a I means.

This invention relates broadly to sheet glass apparatus, and morepartieularly to means for cutting a continuous ribbon of glass transversely into sheet lengths of the'des'ired sizes.

which the said sheet is: "passedover a? suitable flattening table into" an annealing leer wherein it is supported and carried. along upon a'iplurality'of driven leer rolls. Ithas been found that 15 these leer rolls which are driven at a peripheral "speed greater than the linear'travel of the' sheet create a pull onthe said sheet causing longitudi nal stretching thereofh This stretching ,of the sheet whileplastic results in'the formationof waves therein which are detrimetal to the productionof a good sheet oirgla ss. Also, since the leerrolls contact with the sheet and are posi: tively driven at a peripheral speed slightlyin ex- 'cess of the linear travel thereof, there is cre 'ated a relative motion between these contacting surfaces which causestheproductio'n of. scratches onsaid sheet. a v I It is an aim of the present invention to' provide improved sheet glass apparatus whereby, the

: I30 formation of wavesinyandthe production of sheet while within the leer transversely into sheet; All) lengths as soon as it'has become sufficiently set.

Another object'of the invention is to provide in sheet glass apparatus, an annealing leercon taining, plurality of rolls for. supporting. a'con tinuous ribbon of glass passing therethrough, the rollsat the hot end of the leer being driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to thelinear travel of the glass ribbon while the rolls at the opposite end, of said leer are driven at a'speed slight- 7 ly in excess of the linear travel of said ribbon.

A further object of the invention is" to provide in sheet glass apparatus, means for passing-a continuous ribbon of glass into an annealingleer onto a plurality of rolls whose'peripheral speed is substantially equal to the linear travel of saidribbon,

In the patent to Colburn 1,248,809, grantedDee cember4, 1917, there is disclosedan apparatus ier producingsheet glass whereinthe sheet is drawn j initially in an upward direction from a sourceof. molten 'glass,-- and subsequently deflected into 10 the horizontal plane over a. bending roll, after means forperiodically cutting theribbon' trans-f -lversely into sheet lengths as soon as it has become sufficientlyset, and a,v plurality of rolls driven at a peripheral speedslightly in excess of the linear travelofthe ribbonrfor carrying away the glass .aiterlit has'beencut. i

, A .stillefurther object of the inventioniisxto provide: inis'heet. glass apparatus, means 1for scoring a. continuous ribbon of glass transversely at predetermined intervalsawhile said ribbon istbe I ing annealed, and means acting to automatically raise the glass afterit has been scored to break 7 it along thescore line. v v

Other objectsand"advantages of the inven-' tion will becomemore apparent during'the course of the following description. I i In thesdrawings whereinlike numeralsare employed totdesignate like parts throughout the Fig. 'lfis' a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough aportion of the improved sheet glassjapparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, v i i a Fig. 12 isa similar view ofsanotherportion of theapparatus, 1' i Q Fig. ,3.is a top plan view of the cutting apparatus showing the manner in which the same.

associated with theannealing leer, L Fig. 4is a transverse section taken through the annealing leer showing'the mechanism for breake ing the glassafter it hasbeen scored,

Fig. 5 is aldetail view ofthe clutch arrange ment for operating thebreaking mechanism,

. Fig.6 is a detail plan view, partially in section, of the. clutch operating mechanism, and

Figs. '7; 8, and 9 are diagrammatic views show-.

ing the manner in which through-the, leer. a Referring now to the accompanying drawings, andrmore particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, thecontinuous sheet orribbon of glass! is drawn, upwardly from a source of: molten glass .llcontained in therecepta cle or draw pot l2. The-continuous sheet] 0 at a substantial distance the glass is carried from its source; is defiectedinto the horizontal plane about an internally cooled rotatable bending roll I3, after which it isfpassed over an idler roll l4, through the combined drawing and hattening mechanism intothe annealingleer l6, where it isfg'radually reduced to room tempera-3 ture asflisfwell known in the art.

The said sheet I0 is supported and carried along within the leer, firstupon a series of horizontally aligned rolls I 1, and then upon asecond .series of horizontally aligned rolls l8, whichlast 5 rolls are driven at a peripheral speed slightly in excess of the peripheral speed of the rolls IT. The series of rolls ll are mounted upon shafts i9 which extend outwardly of the leer at one side thereof and are driven by a drive shaft 28 through the intermediary of suitable worm gearing 2|,

, while the second series of rolls l8 mounted upon similar shafts 22, which also extend outwardly of the leer at one side thereof, are driven from a lay shaft 23 thr ough' the intermediary assure able Worm gearing 2 5..

.A sprocket and chain connection 25'is provided, for driving the shaft 28 from any suitable source of power, while a second chain and. sprocket: connection 25 is provided for driving the lay shaft The two series of shafts lQfandfZZ are so driven at different speeds that'the series of rolls I! will be rotated at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the linear travel of theglassari'bbon it, while the" second series of rolls lt will.

be driven at a peripheral speed slightly'in excess offthelinear travel of :said: ribbon. Positioned betweenand'separating the two-series of rolls I! and I8 is a similar roll 21, the purpose of which will: bemo're clearly. hereinafter apparent;

In accordance "with the present invention, there is arranged within the leer 95 "adjacent to and-in advance .of the roll. 21, a guidem'ember 2B extendingdiagonallywthereofl as shown in Fig. 3.3 This member serves as; a guide: forthe lower run of theendless chain'29 which-carries,"

the twol scoring members 3!] and 36 The endless chain 29' is trained about four sprockets as shown in Fig. 4;.the'lower. sprockets 3i and. 32

and'thei upper sprockets 33 and 34.. The sprockets 31,33, and .34 are. idl'ensprockets; while the sprocket 32 isvadapted to be positively driven at times. This sprocket 32 is loosely mounted upon ashaft 35 driven from the drive shaft Zflthrough the gearssfi-ie and-31. Carried by'the shaft 35 are the clutch members 38 and 39,. so arranged that uponmovement ofthe clutch" member 38 into scored at predetermined intervals, there is keyed to the drive shaft 28 a bevelled gear 4i meshing with the correspondingly bevelled gear 4!". said bevel gear 4t being. provided, as shown in Fig. 6, with a cam groove 62 Loosely engagedwith-. in this groove 42 is one end of a lever 33' pivoted at its "opposite end as at 44. This lever is provided intermediate its ends with a longitudinal slot 45, andslidably engaged therein is one end of anarm 46, adapted to be connected with the clutch member 38 in such amanner that upon movement thereof. in on'eidirection', the said -clutch member-.3? will be moved in theopposite direction to engage or disengage the clutch member3 9. ,7 Inthe operation of theinvention as thus far described, the sheet or ribbon of glass Hl isdrawn from the receptacle or drawpot. l2 in the usual j manner and passed into the leer It onto the rolls 17.1 The drive shaft 2531 15 continuously driven by meansgof the chain and sprocketconnection 25, above described and upon rotation of this shaft,

- the shaftii'ewill also berotated and the gear 4| a will be driven'i-n a clockwise direction byv the swift i ihwaris r 4i qtai s' d the same.

of the lever 43 engaging within the raised point ll of thergroove 42, will be caused to'move outwardly whereby to move the clutch member 33 into engagement with the clutch member 39. When these clutch members areengaged with one another, the sprocket 32 and endless chain 29 will be driven to move either the scoring member 3801" 30' transversely across the sheet to score These scoring members are so arranged that as one is moved across the sheet to ,completelthe score, the other will be brought into position for the next score. Due to the fact that the sheet lilis'continuously moving, the guide 28 and'endless chain 25 are'positioned diagonally of the leer as-shown iii-Fig. 3, sothat each score, line willbe parallel to {the preceding score lineand so thatthese score lines'will extend. straight across the sheet and not diagonally thereof. Of course, as soon as the raised point 4'! of cam groove '42 passes beyond the end of lever 43, the said: lever 'will be moved'in the opposite direction to disengage the. clutch members 38 and 39.

1 'After the sheet has been scored. in. the above manner, some means must necessarily be provided for breaking the same along the score line, and in order that this .might be accomplished, the roll 21'. is mounted upon the shaft lBforvertioal movement- Secured tolthe opposite ends of the shaft 58 are thedepending pins 49' slide 1 ably mountedgwithin bearing brackets 53, and being slidably connected with the opposite ends ofra transversely extending rod 5| the lower ends 'of-s'a'id pins t5!v operating within slotsv 52.. Pivoted to one end of the rod 5| is a link 54 pivoted to the bracket 55, while pivoted to .the opposite end of. the rod 5t is one end of a. lever '5fipivoted intermediate itsfendsl asat. 5'l and at its opposite end to a wheelcrank 58 mounted on, the shaft 519. Keyed to this shaft isa. sprocket 60 carrying av sprocket chain 61, said chain being trained about a sprocketIfiZ keyed to. the'shaft 2c so that uponf rotation of-the said shaft 28,. the shaft 59' will'also befrotated to rock the lever 56 about its pivot 511whereby to raise or lower the roll 21.

Also mounted upon the shaft. 59 are the clutch memberssa and fiflsaid clutch member 63-beihg movableinto or out of 'engagementwithits companion clutch member 64. The cliitch member -63 is connected with the lever through the" medium of aplurality of pivotally connected links 6E. The. lever 65 is pivoted intermediate its ends as at'B'l' and has its'free end-loosely engaged within the cam groove 42 into the gear M. l

The operation ,of; the breaking mechanism just described is as follows: soon as thescoring member- 3B or 30' has been moved transversely across the sheet to score the same, thefraised point 47 of the cam groove 42 will rock the lever 65 about its pivot 61 whereby'to move theclutch member, 6-3, through the medium of the pivotally connected links 66, into engagement with the clutch 'member'fif, whereupon the shaft 58 and crank I58 will be rotated to rock theIlever .55 about itspivot 57. The rocking of this lever will act to movethe rod 5| transversely and upwardly with the result that the ,roll 2-1 .will be moved sufficiently to raise the glass causing it to. break along the score line. After the glass has been broken, it will beI-carried along more rapidly upon the series of faster moving rolls it.

Of course, as soon as the'raised point 4'1 of the earn groove 42 passes beyond the lever 65, the

clutch member 63 will be thrown out. of engagement with the clutch member 159.

Inasmuch as the rolls-at the hot end of the which form in. the. sheet while being annealed,

1,997,402 leer are driven at a. peripheral speed substantially equal to the linear-travel of the sheet, the tendency towards the stretching or said sheetwill be eliminated and relative motion between these parts reduced to a minimum so that the formag tion of waves in andthe production of scratches on' said sheet Will be obviated. After the sheet has become sufficiently set to, out, the tendency towards the formation of Waves therein or the production of scratches thereon is reduced. The

sheets of glass, afterbeing out, are adapted to a pass from the lee iii onto a table 68 from whic they can be easily removed; Y

The present invention is also advantageous in that it reduces the waste of glass due to break age occasioned by the formation of so-cal1edsnakes therein. Inother words, thesesnakes usuallyrun the entire length of theannealing leer By cutting the continuous sheet into snakes will be inateriallyreduced. r

9 In Figs. '7; 8,, and 9, havebeenshown diagrammatically the manner in which theribbort of glass or continuous sheet it is carried through the an nealing leer 55. r In certain types of these leers, anywhere from one hundred and fifty to more (than two hundred rolls-are provided and are spaced approximately one foot aparth According tothe present invention, the first sixty-five leer rolls (which are equivalent to the series of rolls ll above described) are driven at a peripheral speed equal to the linear travel] of the sheet, while thebalance'ofthe rolls (which are the equivalent of the series or rolls lilabove j described) are driven at aslightly faster speed.

The. first fiftyrolls may be formed of anasbestos composition while the next thirtyrolls are preferably of wooden nickel, the main, idea being to obtain. a roll which will allow relative motion between the sheet and roll without; scratching a the sheet.

The guide .28 for-.thescoring members is and Jill! is positioned betweenthe 45th roll and 46th roll, while the 46thrroll corresponds tothe break or r0112? above described. his (the end or the continuous sheet no: passing through the. leer reachesthe. 65th roll, as shown'in Fig. -7,1the cutterat the 45th roll; moves across the'sheet, and

.asthe cut finishes'the' 45th roll is automatically praised to separate the glass; The twenty foot section of glass which has been separated. from the continuous glass sheet travels at the same speed as said sheet until the front end thereof reaches the 76throll. where, being acted upon by eleven rolls running at a faster speed asagainst nine rolls at the slower speed, it gradually sepe arates from the balance of the sheet.

To and including the 65th roll, the linear speed of the sheet is the same as the peripheral speed of the rolls. Consequently, thereis no stretch ing or scratching. As the front end of the twen ty footsection passes iromthe 65th to the 76th rolls, the section h'asthe speed of the ribbon following, the force tending to speed up the section being neutralized by the force tending to restrain it. Although the 65th to 76th rolls, having a greater speed than the sheet, slide beneath f. I-claim:--.

position of the rolls; and no stretching results" since the sheet h as become fully set.

As the front end. of the sheetsection reaches the 76th roll, the force tending'to speed up the section? over-balances the force restraining it, andhthe-section picks up speed. and separates from the'balance of the sheet shown in Fig. 9. .The 56th to65th rolls then travel slower than the sheet section but. due to the composition of the rolls, no scratching. results.

It is .to. be understood that the fornrof the invention herewith shown and describedfis to be taken as. the preferred embodiment of same, and'that, various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing frornthe spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoinedclaims.

, l. In sheet glass apparatus,

glass, a plurality of. rotatable membersfor supporting the sheet within said leer, means for antomatically scoring the sheet transversely atpredeterrninediintervals as it passes through said leer, means acting 1 at 'the,.coinp1etion of the 7 an annealing leer for receiving: a. continuously moving "sheet of the score line, and a plurality of rotatable inem bers driven at aperipheral'speed inexcessoi the linearxtravelof saidsheet for; carrying awaythe glass after it has been cuti] 1 2. In sheet. glass apparatus; an annealing leer for receiving 'a continuously moving sheet, of glass, aplurality of rotatable members for sup:-

porting the sheet withinsaid leer, said members v being. driven at a peripheral speed substantially equalIto. the linear travel ot said sheet, means for automatically. scoring, the sheet transversely at predetermined intervals as it passes through said leer, meansacting at the'completion the said rotatable members to break the glass along the score line," and a: plurality oflrotatable. rnernbers driven at a peripheral speed in: excess of the linear. travel of said s'heet fo'r carrying away the glass after ithas been'cut.

3. in sheet glassxapparatus, an annealingleer,

cutter carrying element, rneansfor moving the so I scoring. operation to automatically raise o ne'of means for supporting and; carrying a sheet through said leer, a cutter carrying elementarranged within the leer, a cutter carried by said Cutter transversely across thesheet-to score the same, and means also operable by the cutter actuating'means forbreaking the sheet along the Scorelirie. V i i .4. In sheet glass. apparatus, an annealing leer, I

means, for supporting and carrying a continuous- 1y, moving sheet of glass through said leer; a outter carrying element arranged within the leer,

a cutter carried by said cutter carrying element means for moving the cutter transversely across ranged within the leer, acuttercaitried thereby,

, means operated from said. driving means for moving the cutter transversely across the sheet to scorethe same, and means, also operated from i said driving means for breaking the sheet along the score line. I V j 6. In sheet glass apparatus, an annealing leer,

.lotatable means for supporting and carrying a continuously moving sheet of glass through said 7 leer, means for driving said rotatablemeans, a cutter carrying element arranged within the :leer,

sheet of glass, said rotatable members being driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the linear. travel of the sheet, means for scoring the sheet tervals, means acting automatically to raise one of saicl'rotatable members upwardly to break the sheet along the score line, and meansfor carry- ,ing the sheet away.

8. 111 sheet glass apparatus, a plurality ofrotatable members for -.receiving and carrying a "sheet of glass, said rotatable members being driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the linear traveler the sheet; means for scor ing the sheet transversely atpredetermined intervals, means acting automatically to raise one of said rotatable members-upwardlyto break the sheet along the score line, and means for carrying the sheet away a' relatively taster rate of speed after it has been cut; '9. In sh et-glass apparatus; a plurality of rolls for receiving and carrying a sheet in a generally .horizontal plane, means for scoring'thc sheet transversely at predetermined intervals, .means for elevating one ofs'ai'd rolls out of its normal position and above the horizontal plane in which f the sheet is travelmgto break the sheet alcngthe score line; and means for carrying the sheet away.

10'. In sheet glass apparatus, a plurality of rolls for receiving and carrying a sheet 'in a generally horizontal plane, means for automatically scoring the. sheet transverselyat predetermined intervals, means for elevating one of said rolls out of its'norrnal position and above the, horizontal plane in. which the sheet is traveling to,

break the sheet along. the score line, and means for carrying the sheet away.

. 11. In sheet glass apparatus, a plurality of rolls for receiving and carrying a sheet in a genrally horizontal planefmeansior automatically scoringithe sheet transversely at predetermined intervals, means acting automatically to raise transversely at predetermined in one'of said'rolls upwardly above the horizontal plane in which the sheet is moving to break the sheet along the score line, and means for carrying the sheet away.

12. In sheet glass apparatus, an annealing leer for receiving .a continuously; moving sheet of glass,'a plurality of spaced rolls disposed therein and arranged to carry the sheet horizontally through said leer, means positioned within the leer for scoring themoving sheet transversely,

and means associated with one .of said rolls for elevating the same out of the horizontal plane in which the sheet is traveling to break the sheet along said score line.

13. A runway for use in connection with a leer,

comprising a series of rolls spaced along the run- -way in relatively fixed positions with respect to the length thereof, one'of which rolls, located intermediate the ends of the runway is mountedfor vertical movement, zneansrfor raising said rollso that its periphery li s above the level of the other rolls of runway, and means fordriving said other rolis. a 14. The combination with 'a heat-treatment chamber ofmeans for causing the articles 'to travel through said chamber, said means being arranged to progressively increase the speed of travel of the articles toward the discharge end of thechambe'r.

15. The combination tures toward the discharge end of the. chamber, means for causing the articlesito travel with a heat-treatment chambercharacterizeol by decreasing tempera.

through said chamber at a speed increasing to ward the discharge end of thebhamb'er.

16. The combination with a heat-treatment chamber of means for causing the; articles to travel throughsaid chamber, the speedof said means being reguiated to cause a separation of the articles as they move towardflthe discharge end of said chamber. i

17 In a leer for annealingglassware, the comf; bination of the chamber having a heated por 7 tion and a cooled portion, and conveyer means in said chamber, said conveyor means comprising a relatively lowrspeedfl in 'the'heatedporti'on of the chamber and a'relatively high speed in the cooled portion oithe chamber.

18, A runway for use in connection with a leer,

comprising a series of rolls spaced along the runwayin relatively fixed positions with respect to the length thereof, one of, which rolls, located intermediate the ends of the runway, is mounted for vertical movement, and means for raising said roll so that its periphery lies above the. level v V of the other rolls of the runway so asto'apply pressure to the glass and causeit to crack.

, f JOHN L. DRAKE. 

